Telemaster scratch build

[Ken-The-Woodman]

This is a scratch build of the original Telemaster (71" wing). It's my first ever build so I'm learning a lot along the way. I'm about 45 days into the build. Plans were a bit vague on some things but full size and not to bad over all. Got the push rods hooked up today, so I think I will be ready to fly by the end of the week. I have a mentor here locally so he will make the maiden flight. I don't have any stick time and don't want to crash it the fist day. I have a used trainer that I bought cheap and want to learn with it before I fly something I have but so many hours of work into. The close up of the fusal is push rod guides.

 

[Maingear]

I have always wanted a telemaster. What are you using to spin the prop?

Justin

 

[Ken-The-Woodman]

I'm using an ASP 52 from Hobby King.

 

[Ken-The-Woodman]

Got the telemaster up in the air last week. Seamed to fly but suddenly about 5 mins. into the flight lost all control and went down in a corn field. About 1 1/2 hours later with 5lbs. of mud on each shoe we found it. Glad it rained the nite before! It was out about 300 yds. when we lost control. I'm using a Turnigy 9X V2 and TRG 9 channel RX. I range tested the radio and receiver afterwards and found it a little jittery at 1.4 miles but fine at.8 miles. I've tried to recreate the loss of signal and can't get it to screw up again. Thinking of replacing the switch on the plane as it seamed to just go dead. I have a locater beacon on order, I was lucky it was only 100 yds. or so in, that field goes back about 1/2 a mile. Just a bit of film left to finish the repairs and I'll be ready to crash again.
Looking forward to the Biplane build this winter, anyone have thoughts on Balsarite under coating?

 

[gabrielete]

Lucky you didn't loose the plane. I had a very similar lost of signal recenly and crashed the plane badly. Very nice nice plane i hope it last long. Make a video of it!

 

[roversgonemad]

That's awesome that you got out to fly it. I am glad it wasn't seriously damaged!

A lot of factors can play into signal loss. You might have antenna shading at a certain orientation, there could be radio interference, etc. Be sure that you don't have any metal, like pushrods or something between you and the antenna, or carbon fiber. Did you do your signal test with just pure distance or did you use the range test using the range test function in your radio. Also, if the antenna on that radio is straight, and doesn't have a bend in it, don't point the antenna straight at the plane. I am

 

[Ken-The-Woodman]

Did the range test at real distance with straight line of sight. Thanks for the tip on antenna, I'll make sure it is fastened out of harms way, it was just loose at crash time so it could have flopped down by a push rod or servo.
Biplane promises to be more of a chalange but I'll have all winter to get it done. I noticed that it uses a good bit of spruce in the build so I won't have to buy any of that, I can just cut what I need out of 2x4s on my table-saw.

 

[Firebrick43]

Great job. I have been thinking of building an electric telemaster(or sig kadet) for lazy day flight. Found the plans you have built off of, but would really like to find some newer ones with the warren truss fuselage and built up tail feathers. Really like such planes with translucent covering.

 

[Zap brannigan]

i remember my first build,an RC riser 52 glider that i couldnt afford a radio for (1982) it, so i sold it to a freind that had the gear to fly it with.
it was fun to build and cover.

 

[jhitesma]

The flysky protocol Turnigy uses isn't known for great reliability. You may want to look into switching to a different RF system on a plane with this much time and effort into it. If your 9x has the module without an antenna it's still possible to modify it so you can easily swap to a different module (like a DSMX or FrSky) - just takes unsoldering the antenna wire, mounting the antenna onto the module, and then resoldering it.